Stay updated with breaking news from World In Progress. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Fertilizers are getting more expensive and are pushing food prices up. And the millions of smallholder farmers who produce a third of the world's food will have little choice but to reduce using fertilizer which in turn will reduce their crop yield. DW speaks to Dr. Michael Brüntrup, senior researcher with the German Development Institute.
For many small-scale farmers, there's a myriad of problems. In addition to expensive fertilizers, some don't have the equipment they need to plow their fields. An app that was developed on the African continent wants to make life a little easier for small-scale farmers by connecting them to others who own tractors.
Small single-use plastic packets, also known as sachets, are ubiquitous in South East Asia. They are used for coffee, soap or laundry detergent. Large packs are too expensive for many there, but the single sachet packs aren't in fact a better deal. They end up costing more. And they're bad for the environment.
Rising energy costs are pushing many households in the UK to the brink — many are faced with a choice between eating or heating. It's already bad, but 2022 is set to be the hardest year ever for many people as the annual price cap for energy is due to rise by over 50% come April. Experts warn that one in four families in the UK is expected to be plunged into fuel poverty.
Even before the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut in 2020, the Middle Eastern country was in a deep economic crisis. Since then, people's hard-earned savings have continued to depreciate day by day. That’s why many Lebanese are now pinning their hopes on the digital world and are investing in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, looking for security in a system that few truly understand.